Game apparatus



April 29; 1969' M. H. aemmm 3 4 Y I GAME APPARATUS.

Filed Sept. 22,1966

INVENTOR. 44/401250 A! 6aaw04 lax 5 a, f y I United States Patent ()1 iice 3,441,280 Patented Apr. 29, 1969 US. Cl. 273135 3 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A game apparatus comprising a plurality of identical playing boards, each having rows and columns of squares on its surface, a plurality of groups of first tokens identified by distinct group markings, the number of groups being equal to the number of boards, and another group of tokens distinguishable from said first tokens, one side of each token having a marking indicating it maybe used as a Wild other side and another marking on the token indicating it may be used to Block an opposers play. The tokens are controlled through the use of a plurality of cards which are selected at random, the cards being arranged in groups having the same markings as the markings on the groups of tokens.

This invention relates to the field of games and more particularly to a game of chance and skill.

My game is directed primarily for the use of young people who desire to play a game, the outcome of which is not altogether left to the element of chance but has some element of skill attached to it. My game is particularly appropriate for use by young people where at some point in the game they must make a decision as to whether they should attempt to stop the progress of an opponents play or to enhance the play of their own part of the game.

It is therefore a general object of the present invention to provide a game of chance and skill which may be played by two or more people.

It is 'a more specific object of the present invention to provide a game apparatus which uses game tokens which may be layed to create one condition for a player and a different condition for an opponent.

These and other objects and advantages of my invention will more fully appear from the following description, made in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference characters refer to the same or similar parts throughout the several views, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of one of the playing boards of the apparatus;

FIG. 2 is an isometric view of one form of token used in playing the game;

FIGS. 3a and 3b are isometric views of both sides of the second form of token used in playing the game; and

FIG. 4 is a plan view of a stack of the playing cards showing one card of each group of like cards.

The name chosen for this particular game is Gardo and it is played by using a playing board which may be formed on a card approximately six and one-quarter inches in length and which is divided into twenty-five equal playing squares 11. It will be noted that there are as many columns as theer are rows and that the board contains no additional markings other than the name of the game.

Used with the game are a number of tokens designated by numbers 12 through 18 which are shown appropriately lined for the colors of purple, red, blue, yellow, green, orange, and white, respectively. There are seven tokens of each color and the tokens are approximately the size that will fill the squares 11 on card 10. Generally the tokens are formed of some plastic or similar material and the board 10 may be formed of a suitable material such as a composition material or plastic material.

In addition to the 49 different tokens, there being seven of each of seven colors, there is a pair of different tokens like that shown in FIGS. 3a and 3b. The tokens are black in color and have formed on one side, by molding, stamping, or some other form of printing, the word Block and the other side of the token contains the word Wild. As will be seen later, the manner in which the player chooses to make use of a token 20 will determine the condition under which the token is used.

In addition to the tokens and playing boards just described, there are 51 cards used with the game, the cards being approximately two and one-quarter by three and one-half inches in width and length, typical cards being designated by reference numerals 21 through 27. Each of the cards has three colored spots 30, 31, and 32 with spot 30 being located generally in the center of the card and spots 31 and 32 diametrically opposed in the corners of the card such as card 21. The card 21 has three green spots formed thereon and the other six cards have the same colors as tokens 12 through 15, 17 and 18. It will also be recognized that there are seven groups of cards, each group containing seven cards having the same markings. In other words, there are as many cards 21 through 27 as there are tokens 12 through 18.

In addition thereto, there are two other cards numbered 33 which carry a black spot and correspond to the two tokens designated by the numeral 20. Therefore, the entire deck of cards contains 49 cards of the same colors as the seven different colored tokens and two cards corresponding to the black tokens. Additionally, the name of the color of each card is printed on the edge of the card so that it may be read when viewing the left hand side of the card.

The game is played by at least two and no more than four players, each player having a card 10 for his own use. The cards are shufiled and the 51 cards are placed face down in a convenient position for having a top card drawn therefrom. Each player then in turn draws a card from the top of the deck and selects a matching token 12 through 18 which corresponds to the color of the identifying marks on the card drawn. The token is then placed on card 10 in any square 11 with the object being to complete a row, column or diagonal straight line of five squares across card 10 by covering the squares with tokens all of the same color. However, should a black card 33 be drawn, the player then selects a token 20 which may be used as a Wild token or may be used to Block an opponents play. The player makes the decision as to whether the token is more beneficial to advance his own game or stop that of an opponent, and if used by the player to advance his own game, token 20 may be added to any one of the columns, rows, or diagonal straight lines, and in such case the token is placed on the players card 10 with the word Wild facing upwardly. If token 20 is to be used to block the play of an opponent, the token is placed on the opponents card to block the completion of a row, column, or diagonal straight line of five squares. When any opponents row, column, or diagonal straight line is blocked, it becomes useless to that player from that point on and the player must look for other squares for use.

It should also be understood that any player who changes the position of a token once played is ruled out of the game.

A variation of the game is played in the following manner. Each player may in turn draw a card 10 and determine a particular color which he will play and discard all other cards as they are drawn in turn. In other words, if the player chooses the color red, a red token 13 is placed upon the card and from that point on, the player may onry use the red tokens 13 to attempt a completion of the five squares in a line. If a black card 33 is drawn, the player drawing the black card must clear his card 10 of all tokens and start over with any color of his choice. In other words, card 33 in this variation will only work to penalize the player rather than his opponent and offers no advantage but rather a disadvantage. The first player to complete five squares in a column, row or diagonal line is declared the winner of the game. It will be apparent that other variations of the game may be played using the same game pieces, and that through the use of cards 33 and the accompanying tokens 20, the game involves an element of skill by the individual player.

It will, of course, be understood that various changes may be made in the form, details, arrangement and proportions of the parts without departing from the scope of my invention which consists of the matter shown and described herein and set forth in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. Game apparatus comprising:

(a) a plurality of playing boards having a plurality of squares marked thereon arranged in equal numbers of columns and rows;

(b) a plurality of groups of first tokens identified by distinct group markings thereon, there being an equal number of tokens in each group, the number of groups being equal to the number of boards;

(c) a group of second tokens identified by a distinct marking different than the markings of said first tokens, and having in addition different first and secnd condition marks thereon, said marks being so disposed on the token as to be selectively rendered effective by placing the token in a selected one of two different positions, said second tokens being less in number than the total of each group of said first tokens;

(d) and a plurality of cards to be selected at random by a player, said cards being arranged in groups identified by the same markings as said distinct markings on said groups of first and second tokens, the number of groups of cards being equal to the number of groups of tokens, there being the same number of cards in each group as there are tokens in the corresponding group of tokens.

2. The game apparatus set forth in claim 1 wherein:

(e) said first condition mark of said second tokens comprising the word WILD on one side of the token and said second condition mark of said second tokens comprising the word BLOCK on the other side of the token.

3. The game apparatus set forth in claim 1 wherein:

(f) each of said plurality of playing boards has five columns and five rows of squares, and there are seven groups of first tokens, with seven like tokens in each group while said group of second tokens consists of two tokens.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 557,205 3/ 1896 Hinckley.

682,388 9/1901 Pigueron 273-435 825,809 7/1906 Connell 273 1,760,642 5/1930 Graham 273135 1,871,247 8/1932 Trost 273-135 FOREIGN PATENTS 800,739 9/1958 Great Britain.

DELBERT B. LOWE, Primary Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R. 273137 

